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Head of
the School: Prof. David Nevo
The Schools of Education's vision and dreams are: Research To initiate and perform innovative research that examines the different aspects of learning, education, schools and communities Professional development To prepare and promote the professional development of the future generation of educators Educational leadership To perform leading roles in educational reform and responsible educational policy To continue to carry out our mission, faculty members are involved in the following activities: l Research and development of theoretical models of learning and barriers to learning l Investment in the professional growth of teachers and schools l Heading national and professional committees of experts who advise the Ministry of Education, municipalities and other organizations. The knowledge revolution has underlined the important place of the school. The rapid changes that have been occurring demand an ongoing dialogue to examine the objectives of education, the directions of change in the structure of educational systems, and to develop innovative methods for efficient learning. These rapid changes also require comprehensive discussion concerning teaching methods and training approaches for educational professionals; the planning of in service training for those involved in the educational sector, too, is of great importance. The School of Education puts special emphasis on developing programs for gifted youth: our Unit for Science-Oriented Youth offers young people an opportunity to meet new constructs in science, to extend their knowledge and to find out more about various scientific domains through innovative educational methods. The unit also conducts on-line activities via the Internet, thus reaching participants from distant communities in Israel and abroad who aspire to develop ongoing communication with Jewish schools around the world. The School's faculty is involved in research, program development, and the training and advancement of professional growth of educators. In addition, we are regularly invited to high-level policy discussions at the Ministry of Education, local councils, schools and other organizations, to participate in the ongoing debates and thus to contribute to the development of their vision that is based on goals and needs of both individuals and society as well as on promoting scientific knowledge in education.
u The School of Education at Tel Aviv University was established in 1973 and is now one of the leading institutions of its kind. Approximately 1900 students currently attend the school, studying towards their BA, MA, and Ph.D. degrees, as well as for teaching certificates. About 2000 teachers are enrolled in the University Center for Educational Staff Development, and around 2000 gifted high school students attend the Unit for Science-Oriented Youth. The teaching faculty includes 59 senior staff members, and 106 additional staff members. Furthermore, 200 researchers are working at the School of Education under the auspices of various centers, research institutes and projects.The School of Education cooperates with the Faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences, Exact Sciences, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Engineering, and maintains research links with leading institutions of higher education around the world.
The academic teaching programs operate through four departments:
The Department of Developmental Perspectives of Education Chair: Dr. Moshe Israelashvili Research in the department focuses on typical and atypical human development among normally developing children and children with special educational needs (for example, students with learning disabilities, or hearing-impaired students). Research topics include normative language development, emergent literacy during preschool years, mother – child interactions during academic activities, language disorders in children and in adults, reading disabilities in school-aged children, social-emotional developmental processes, emotional and behavioral regulation, and attitudes towards children and adults with special needs. Basic research in these fields generates input for the construction of models for understanding cognitive, affective, and social development and also directs the development of assessment and prevention programs for high-risk populations, especially during transitional phases, such as the entrance to primary school, to junior high school, and to high school. The knowledge generated by the research in the department is critical for educators in their direct work with students, as well as in their counseling for teachers, parents and interventions with families.
The Department of Curriculum Planning and Instruction Chair: Prof. Nira Hativa The academic foundation and orientation of the department are based on four major educational areas: learning, teaching, evaluation and curriculum planning. Teachers and researchers in the department are exploring the changes schools are undergoing in the transition from the modern to the post-modern era. Appreciating the link between theory, research and practice, they concentrate on two complementary levels: theorizing and conceptualizing the "school of tomorrow" and practically introducing change in the schools, via partnerships with schools. Schools are viewed as pluralistic social and cognitive learning environments in which higher cognitive functions are enhanced, self directed learning of both students and teachers is facilitated, alternative approaches to teaching and evaluation are utilized and a flexible and dynamic curriculum, disciplinary and interdisciplinary, is developed. Teaching and research in the department are applied in the following areas: guidance of school staff through counseling and design of changes in curriculum planning and instruction; innovative approaches to teacher training; evaluation and assessment methods of student learning, teacher development, and educational projects; the use of information technology, and research methodology, including both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The academic staff of the department are also involved in large scale studies on both the national and international levels pertaining to issues such as monitoring student achievement and teacher development, inclusion of minority groups in schools, the use of information technology in schools, developing communities of schools, etc.
The Department of Policy and Management in Education Chair: Dr. Prof. Yuval Dror Research in this department takes place in four central domains: the philosophy of education, the history of education, the sociology of education, and educatiadministration. Faculty members are studying the structure of educational systems; styles of school directors, and changes that take place in the systems. They are active participants in discussing educational policy, program implementation and evaluation, from thvantage points of sociology, history, philosophy, and management. Among the issues investigated by researchers in the department are the accessibility of matriculation exams; the development of higher education; economic and legal aspects of education, and questions concerning collective identity and minority rights.
The Department of Science Education Chair: Prof. Tommy Dreyfus The academic faculty of this department is involved in research and development in mathematics, science and technology education, mainly in the following directions: identification of alternative perceptions in mathematics, science and technology and development of related interventions; the study of intuitive rules in mathematical and scientific thought; using declarative aspects in identifying and integrating information and communication technologies into mathematics and science teaching; development and evaluation of unique schools, study centers, special curricula, and special learning tools for mathematics, science and technology aimed at elementary and secondary schools, novice teachers and teachers. Researchers in the department initiate and carry out various national and international activities. In the fields of computer science and physics, for instance, members of the department perform the challenging task of preparing students for participation in the National and International Youth Olympics.
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